We Need To Talk About The First Royal Gift Meghan Markle Received

Kensington Palace has released the list of gifts received by the Royal Family in 2017, and it definitely makes for interesting reading.

Kate Middleton was given – among others – earrings, two ceramic breakfast sets and a cycling jersey, while Prince William became the owner of a Finnish flag, five Tintin figurines and two fabric gnomes.

British astronaut Major Tim Peake presented the Queen with the flag from his spacesuit, and Prince Harry was sent four badges and a padded felt owl.

The Royal Family often receive gifts on tours and engagements

Harry’s fiancée Meghan Markle also received her first royal gift. And TBH, we think we need to talk about it.

The 36-year-old was gifted an… apron. This seems a little off-kilter, considering Meghan is a fierce feminist and advocate for equal rights.

In the speech, she described seeing a TV commercial in school for Procter & Gamble dishwashing soap, with a tagline that claimed: ‘Women all over America are fighting greasy pots and pans’.

After two male classmates made a joke about how women ‘belong’ in the kitchen, she said: ‘I remember feeling shocked and angry and also just feeling so hurt. It just wasn’t right and something needed to be done.’

And it was. Meghan explained how her father had ‘encouraged me to write letters, so I did, to the most powerful people I could think of,’ and that soon after Procter & Gamble changed ‘Women all over America’ to ‘People all over America’.

In defence of the gift, Prince William received it on behalf of Meghan and Harry, 33, while touring Finand in November.

It’s thought that it was chosen for Meghan because she’s an avid cook. In the couple’s engagement interview, she explained that Harry got down on one knee while they were enjoying a ‘cosy night’ roasting chicken.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle gave their first TV interview on Monday

And it’s unlikely that Meghan was ever expected to pop the apron on and start rustling up an apple pie. Rules state that royal gifts can be used, but belong to the nation rather than being the personal property of the recipient.

We’re also sure she would have accepted the gift graciously, as it was clearly given in good faith.

However, we do hope Meghan’s stance on both equality and human rights is taken into consideration when she begins to receive more gifts, after marrying Harry in May.

Because we think it’s brilliant that we’ll soon have someone in the Royal Family with a platform to speak out – and we’re pretty sure she will.